I do not remember being asked
Would you rather not do this
All I remember is the warm cloth of my first hijab
All I remember is the beautiful way my teacher would recite the Quran
All I remember is trying my hardest to do the things the grown ups do
The grown ups understand
They read
They speak
They hitch the Hadith to the back of their teeth
Take it wherever they go.
I want to buckle the words of all the great ones
Make a bracelet
Charm enough for me
I want to hum the words of my favorite nazm
And have my classmate hum along
But I am warrior
I was not asked
I was born into the war
No side is to blame
No side could’ve stopped me
I would’ve ended up a Muslim
either way.
Now give me my pen
I brandish my weapon
I will show you the verses stuck between my teeth
Give my my ink, sister
I need to go now
I’ll be back before Maghrib.
I do not remember being asked
Too late I’m in too deep
I do not remember being asked
Good thing you knew me
I do not remember being asked whether I was ever oppressed
I do not recall a single question
No they just assumed-
she is shy
she is quiet
she did not want this
What you have not considered
Is I am quiet because I have things stuck between my teeth.
–
See you in another day,
SA